Psychological Assessment I

Teaching Methods

Lectures; slides; ‘testing’ material; training materials; evaluation protocols; summaries, literature resources (including handouts). Classroom students participation is encouraged (identification and answer of main issues about teaching matters).

Students’ examinations include theoretical and practical issues.

 

Learning Outcomes

1. To understand the Psychological Assessment program/project as a distinctive element of the scientific and professional practice of the psychologist.

2. To recognize the importance of measurement in Psychology and the need to the use several methods, instruments and informants in Psychological Assessment process.

3. To identify key technical, psychometric and ethical issues related to the use of methods, techniques and / or psychological assessment instruments and psychological reports.

4. To understand aims, assumptions, practical considerations, specific advantages and limits of interviews, direct observation, behavior rating scales and psychological tests.

5. To achieve competence in basic skills and knowledge of procedures and techniques such as assessment interviewing and direct observation.

6. To demonstrate ability to disseminate the information obtained.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Psychological Assessment: definitions, objectives and contexts of application of Psychological Assessment. Reasons for using several methods, assessment tools and informers in the context of psychological examination. The specific role of psychological tests; stages in the process of Psychological Assessment. The psychological characteristics or dimensions that are assessed. The hypothesis testing model. Different perspectives about the role of the psychologist in Psychological Assessment. Psychological Assessment in Portugal. 2. History of Psychological Assessment. 3. Ethics and Deontology in Psychological Assessment. 4. Psychometrics. 5. Heuristics, cognitive bias and inferential errors in Psychological Assessment. 6. Interviews. 7. Behavior Rating Scales. 8. Direct Observation. 9. Psychological Tests. 10. Psychological Reports. 11. Psychological Assessment models. 12. Psychological Assessment and intervention relationships.

Head Lecturer(s)

Mário Manuel Rodrigues Simões

Assessment Methods

Final
Exam: 100.0%

Periodic
Test: 50.0%
Test: 50.0%

Bibliography

American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, American Council on Measurement  in Education (1999). Standards for educational and psychological testing(2^nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association. [PCMT 244 – D]

Barnett, J. E., & Johnson, W. B. (2008). Ethics desk reference for psychologists. Washington, DC: APA. [ETIC 55]

Garb, H. J. (1998). Studying the clinician: Judgment research and psychological assessment. Washington, DC: American PsychologicalAssociation.

Wright, A. J. (2011). Conducting psychological  assessment: A guide for practitioners. New York: Wiley. [AVAP 176]

Hambleton, R.K., Merenda, P.F., & Spielberger, C.D. (Eds.) (2005). Adapting educational and psychological tests for cross-cultural assessment. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. [PCMT 194]

Segal, D.L., & Hersen, M. (Eds.) (2010). Diagnostic interviewing (4^th ed.). New York: Springer. [AVAP 177, 195]